Frequency of Nutritional Anemia Among Schoolchildren of Kosti Town – White Nile State

Abstract

This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study which was conducted to detect the frequency of nutritional anemia in primary school children in Kosti city, locality of Kosti, White Nile state, in period between July to November 2009. The study included 300 volunteer pupils from some schools of Kosti city, 204 were males (68%), and 96 (32%) were females, with a range of age between 6 to 14 years. Two and half ml of blood were collected from each pupils in EDTA container, this is for CBC using Sysmex (automated blood Analyzer). Another (amount 2.5 ml) of blood were collected again from each pupil in plain container, from these sera were separated by centrifugation, and then analyzed for serum iron and serum firritin using of Biosystem A25. Blood films were prepared from the first samples and studied for RBCs morphology. The results were as follows: The mean Hb conc.12.2 g/dl (±2SD), mean PCV 37.2%,mean MCV 79.5 fl(±3SD), mean MCH 26.2pg, mean MCHC 32.8 g/dl, mean RBCs count4.7million c/cumm, mean WBCs count 6557c/cumm((±3SD), mean platelets count 284 c/cumm(±2SD), mean serum iron 44.6 micro g/l and mean serum ferittin 50.5 micro g/l. Out of 300 samples 15 samples were showed the Hb conc. (mean 9.1g/dl (±2SD)), (5%) of samples, ie, anemic, with consequent reduced in mean PCV (31%) , mean MCV ( 68.7fl (±3SD)), mean MCH (20.2 pg), mean MCHC (29.2g/dl), mean RBCs count 3.8 million c/cumm, mean TWBCs(7500 c/cumm(±3SD)) ,mean platelets count (246c/cumm(±2SD) ),mean serum iron 40microg/l and mean serum ferritin 45microg/l. Microcytic hypochromic RBCs were found in 27 samples (9.1%) and normocytic normochromic RBCs were found in 271 samples (90.9%). Serum iron was less than 50 micro g /l (the lower limit of the normal range) in 19 samples (6.4 %) and the serum firritin, was less than 20 micro g/ l (the lower limit of the normal range) in 12 samples (4.02%). The frequency of iron deficiency anemia was 5% in pupils of these primary school of Kosti city, and megaloblastic anemia was not detected morphologically in all samples. The mean MCV in anemic patient was 68.7 fl (±3SD) in 300 samples was 79.5(±3SD) fl ,while in the iron deficient sample was 68.7fl (±3SD), ie the same as that in anemic patient All the pupils, whom had Hb conc less than 10.5 g/dl, had a family member more than five. In this study sex had no any effect on the Hb concentration. The mean TWBCs was normal in all subjects